Angiitis
An uncommon inflammation of the blood vessels. There is a group of diseases that involve angiitis. They represent many different conditions. The actual cause of these conditions is usually not known. However, immune system abnormality is a common feature. Examples of angiitis include Kawasaki disease, Behcet's disease, polyarteritis nodosa, and Wegener's granulomatosis. Angiitis can also accompany infections (such as hepatitis B), exposure to chemicals (such as amphetamines and cocaine), cancers (such as lymphomas and multiple myeloma), and rheumatic diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus). The word angiitis is derived from the Greek "a[n]geion", vessel + "-itis", inflammation. Another term for angiitis is vasculitis.
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an·gi·i·tis .an-jē-'īt-əs n,
pl -it·i·des -'it-ə-.dēz vasculitis
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n.
a patchy inflammation of the walls of small blood vessels. It may result from a variety of conditions, including
polyarteritis nodosa, acute nephritis,
and serum sickness. Symptoms include skin rashes, arthritis, purpura, and kidney failure. In some cases treatment with cortisone derivatives may be beneficial.
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an·gi·i·tis (an″je-iґtis) pl. angiiґtides [angi- + -itis] vasculitis.
Medical dictionary.
2011.